AKRON, Ohio (AP) — A restaurant owner who hosted President Barack Obama for breakfast
on Friday became ill and died hours later.Josephine"Ann" Harris of
Copley Township died of natural causes late Fridaymorning, said forensic
investigator Jason Grom, with the Summit Countymedical examiner’s office. No
autopsy was planned.The 70-year-oldHarris became ill at home after the Obama
visit. Grom said she wentinto cardiac arrest in the ambulance while en route to
a hospital.Several hours earlier she had hugged Obama when he showed up at her
Ann’s Place restaurant for breakfast.The Akron Beacon Journal interviewed Harris
after the president’s visit and described her as ecstatic.Obamaspent about a 20
minutes at the restaurant and ordered two eggs overeasy, bacon and wheat toast.
At the suggestion of a waitress, Obamaadded grits to his order."What’s
going on?" Obama asked after getting off his campaign bus and entering
Ann’s Place.He shook hands as diners paused from their plates of pancakes and
eggs."Keep up the good work," one diner called out."Thanks for
joining me," Obama said as he sat at the corner of the counter.WhiteHouse
press secretary Jay Carney said Obama later called Harris’daughter Wilma Parsons
from Air Force One to express "his sorrow and hiscondolences. It was a very
sad event. He was honored to meet (Harris)this morning and passed on his feeling
that the whole family is in histhoughts and prayers."The breakfast stop
kicked off the second day of a two-day campaign swing from the Toledo area to
Pittsburgh.Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.